Stories for February 2016

Stories for February 2016

Subscribe

Thursday, February 25

Art of Driving Scholarship Expands Eligibility Outside Fairfax County

After the first few years being open only to Lake Braddock Secondary School Students, the Art of Driving college scholarship in honor of Lake Braddock student Ashley Thompson expanded to all Fairfax County High Schools.

Alexandria Letter: In It To Win It For Hillary

Letter to the Editor

As a young liberal, I want a candidate for President who is able to get things done, work across the aisle, and continue the progress that we started in 2008.

Alexandria Letter: Knowledge and Vision

Letter to the Editor

I am voting for Hillary Clinton in the Primary Election on March 1. How could I not vote for her?

Alexandria Letter: Why Bernie Next Tuesday

Letter to the Editor

Unlike most elections in our fair City, next Tuesday's Presidential primary is largely flying under the radar, since most of the local Democratic establishment views Bernie Sanders as a threat to politics as usual. For us, the choice to support Sen. Sanders, based on his energy, vision and hope, is crystal clear.

Alexandria Letter: In Support of Hillary

Letter to the Editor

I wish to add my voice to the many supporters of Hillary Clinton for President here in Alexandria.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Butting Heads on Ramsey Homes

Sudden reversal in saga of Alexandria affordable housing.

After seven hours of debate, the decision not to rezone Ramsey Homes on Saturday was rendered moot when one City Council member announced three days later that he’d changed his mind.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Call a Taxi for the Dog

VIP Pet offers grooming, spa services and a dog taxi. Guzal Arslanova, owner of the pet salon, said, "Some people are so busy and they don't want to deal with traffic. So our dog taxi delivers our clients to doggy school at Olde Towne School for Dogs, to the vet or doggie day care. We have doggie seat belts for very little tiny dogs to big ones. We get a lot of people staring at the van."

Tease photo

Alexandria: Birders Protest Chemical Treatment at Monticello Park

Warbler watch set to begin in this migration spot.

It's almost March 1, the official beginning of this year's warbler watch at Monticello Park in Alexandria.

Alexandria: Tucker Modified Calendar Yields a Win-Win

Intersessions provide remediation or enhancement.

The school year is just half over. Rene Paschal, principal at Samuel W. Tucker Elementary School, says the school's modified school calendar has worked well for everyone from school children to teachers to parents.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Jinks Presents Budget Plan

2017 proposed budget focuses on funding schools, but sets aside pre-k programs.

With Fairfax County looking at raising its real estate tax rate by 3 cents and Arlington County lowering it by a half cent, the main theme of City Manager Mark Jinks’ FY 2017 budget was surviving somewhere in the middle while providing funding to enhance schools, the fire department, and parking.

Tease photo

Fairfax County Schools to Close March 1 for Super Tuesday

Concerns about parking and traffic, as well as new guidance from the Virginia Department of Education caused the Fairfax County School Board to reconsider closing schools for the March 1 Presidential primaries.

Editorial: Bad Bills

General Assembly has potential to do lots of damage in a short period.

From pressing for use of a barbaric form of execution, the electric chair, to codifying discrimination, to stripping localities of the major tool for ensuring infrastructure is in place for new development, to hiding more and more critical public information from the public, the Virginia General Assembly is poised to do harm to the Commonwealth.

Alexandria: It Takes a Village to Recover Lost Shelter Beagle

Commentary–AWLA

A shy two-year-old beagle with large, sweet eyes provided an adventure for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria that its staff and volunteers won’t soon forget.

Wednesday, February 24

Classified Advertising February 24, 2016

Read the lastest ads here!

Tease photo

Alexandria: T.C. Williams Girls Win Conference 7 Championship

Titans, down to five players, win in double overtime.

The T.C. Williams girls' basketball team won the Conference 7 championship.

Alexandria Letter: Examining ARHA Proposal

Letter to the Editor

We are writing in regards to the recent Alexandria City Council decision to deny rezoning [editor’s note: since rescinded] for the Ramsey Homes, owned by the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA).

Monday, February 22

Tease photo

Alexandria Appetite: Three Coffee Shops to Get the Chill Out

Beat the wintertime blues with some hot coffee around town.

The faces of Alexandrians across the city display their query plainly: Will this snowy winter ever end? While waiting for warmer climes to make their appearance this spring, here are three venues to warm up with a hot cup of joe in the meantime.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Port City Playhouse Stages ‘Fool for Love’

Play is an exploration of pleasures, perils and consequences of sexual chemistry.

Sam Shepard's "Fool for Love" will be staged by Port City Playhouse from Feb. 26 to March 12 in Alexandria.

Friday, February 19

Tease photo

County Budget Presented, About $300 More per Household

County Executive: Revenue growth is insufficient to fund all priorities. Schools still $68 million short.

County Executive Ed Long recommended a four-cent increase to the real estate tax rate.

Thursday, February 18

FCPS Open Enrollment for Two-Way and World Languages Immersion Programs

Fairfax County Public Schools' online registration for the countywide lottery for two-way and world language immersion programs will open on Monday, Feb. 22.

FCPS Students Win Awards in 2016 Scholastic Writing Competition

Fairfax County Public Schools students at 22 schools won regional awards in the 2016 Scholastic Writing Awards Competition.

Tease photo

Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: Feb. 19-28

Entertainment

Events near Alexandria, Va.

Alexandria Home Sales: January, 2016

In January, 2016, 97 Alexandria homes sold between $2,785,000-$135,000.

Alexandria Home Sales: January, 2016

Alexandria Letter: We Are All Americans

Letter to the Editor

If George Washington was alive today, and someone asked him if he was a Democrat or a Republican, what would he say?

Alexandria Letter: Skepticism Warranted

Letter to the Editor

Councilmembers Lovain and Smedberg are right to be skeptical of the proposal for a City Ethics Commission.

Tease photo

Alexandria Snapshot: President's Day

In honor of Presidents Day — with thoughts of liberty and justice.

Alexandria Letter: ARHA Proposals Flaunt Regulations

Letter to the Editor

I would like to share my opinion on disturbing development proposal of Ramsey homes in City of Alexandria.

Alexandria Letter: Expand Advisory Group

Letter to the Editor

I am a native Virginian, a retired Army Veteran, a resident of Fairfax County since 1995 and a long-time member of the Bull Run Civil War Round Table.

Tease photo

Alexandria: TC Honors Its Titans

Hall of Fame inductees include serviceman killed in Iraq and “Remember the Titans” coach Herman Boone.

For one of T.C. Williams High School’s biggest celebrities, Coach Herman Boone made a quiet entrance to the Alexandria City Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony. He worked his way apart from the crowd, finding and greeting some of the men he used to coach in football. Boone was among the athletes inducted and coaches honorarily inducted into the ACPS Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Feb. 12.

Tease photo

Alexandria: And Now for Something Different–Consensus

Council and School Board agree on capacity priority.

Here’s how budget sessions go: the Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) puts together a list of funding requests. The city puts its budget together and tells the school system to get its numbers lower. There’s some haggling over prices and priorities, with the city eventually transferring a little more money into the schools and the schools announcing cuts to various programs or plans to reach the city’s funding requirements.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Residents Displaced by Church Expansion Assured Housing

The Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley presents affordable housing relocation plan.

“One of our missions is to sustain affordable housing,” said the Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley at a meeting with the local residents on Feb. 11.”This affects people and families. It’s not something we take lightly.”

Alexandria Letter: Alternatives to Wholesale Renaming

Letter to the Editor

I don’t support efforts to remove the Confederate statue from Washington Street, and rid Alexandria of Confederate street names. We can’t and shouldn’t erase the town’s past, even the unpleasant memories.

Closing Businesses: Ghost of Times Past?

Commentary

Take a look at the list of businesses along our “Main Street” that have recently closed or announced their closing:

Alexandria Letter: Deal on Guns Falls Short

Letter to the Editor

I considered Gov. Terry McAuliffe one of the nation’s best governors on gun safety.

Alexandria Letter: Look to the Future

Letter to the Editor

As a born, raised and very proud Alexandrian, I watch with a heavy heart, the results of society trying to tear down and dispose of our American history in all respects. When America was being born, and it went through growing pains, people named towns, cities, streets, buildings, etc., after those who made impacts to this country.

Alexandria Letter: Church Expansion Deserves Support

Letter to the Editor

We feel very privileged to live here in Alexandria amongst neighbors so willing to "put community first."

Alexandria: Scholarship Honors Peter Williams

Application deadline Feb. 28.

Applications for the Peter Williams Memorial Scholarship are being accepted through Feb. 28.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Presenting Move2Learn Grants

RunningBrooke awards $70,000 to local nonprofits.

Brooke Curran, founder of the RunningBrooke fund, presented $70,000 to 12 local nonprofits Feb. 10 as part of the 2016 Move2Learn grants awards.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Caboose Café Wins Heart of Del Ray Award

Caboose Café wins 8th annual award.

Forget Iowa and New Hampshire. It was the Caboose Café and Bakery that came out on top once the votes were counted in the 8th annual Del Ray Business Association’s Heart of Del Ray award.

Alexandria Obituary: Anne Smith Paul Dies

Devoted preservationist, volunteer.

Anne Paul, a longtime resident devoted to the preservation of Alexandria’s history, died Feb. 14 at her home. She was 75.

Alexandria Column: The Pillars and the Princess

Commentary–Rebuilding Together Alexandria

Homeownership is often equated with success and the fulfillment of the American Dream.

Tuesday, February 16

Editorial: Freedom of Information on Life Support in General Assembly?

Last week, the Assembly passed SB 202, which undid a major push eight years ago to ensure that all of our public spending was ‘online’ and searchable by ordinary citizens. This, of course, meant disclosing the salaries of public employees over a certain income level.

Editorial: Fairfax Presses Ahead with Diversion First

When police encounter someone in mental health crisis, they can transport them to Merrifield Crisis Response Center instead of jail.

Natasha McKenna died a little more than a year ago on Feb. 7, 2015.

Tease photo

Diversion First Program Launched

Fairfax County officials announce Diversion First program designed to help individuals get treatment not jail time.

Kevin Earley said he’s living proof that Diversion First works. Earley has been living with bipolar disorder and had his last episode in 2007.

Uncovering the Roots of Slavery

Local student creates slave index to help descendants trace family history.

A local college student is spending much of her senior year scouring the last wills and testaments of residents of Northern Virginia.

Tease photo

ServiceSource Helps People with Disabilities

Nonprofit ServiceSource helps people with disabilities.

In one section of the ServiceSource Chantilly Center, music therapist Myra Goodrich leads a group of budding musicians playing a cheerful song.

Tease photo

Touching Many Hearts

Minecraft for a Mission – Touching Heart and their “Kids on a Mission” raise funds for children in foster care.

They say that charity begins at home. Helen Yi and Taylor, the mother and daughter co-founders of Touching Heart, a nonprofit aimed at educating and inspiring children to empathize with the needs of others and to take action to assist them, have no argument with that statement.

Tease photo

‘Star Wars’ Fans Flock to Local Classes

Movie's popularity leaves fans wanting to feel "The Force."

Beams of neon light flash around a dark room. Young Star Wars fans from a galaxy not so far away wield light sabers and move with carefully choreographed steps.

Tease photo

Time To Plan for Kids’ Summer Camp Adventures

Local camp fair offers sampling of summer programs.

Under a blanket of February frost, summer might seem light years away, but it’s closer than one might think.

Friday, February 12

Mount Vernon Snapshot: To Officers, With Love

Local children sent cards of holiday cheer and gratitude to the police officers at the Mount Vernon District Station in appreciation of their being on-duty during the holidays.

Alexandria Brief: Absentee Voting for Primary Open

Absentee voting for Virginia’s March 1 Democratic and Republican Presidential Primary is underway.

Tease photo

Column: Out-of-State Animals Find the Good Life in Alexandria

Commentary–AWLA

About once a week, Chestina Merriner loads four or five dogs into a white van and makes the 150-mile trip from Wardensville, W.Va., to Alexandria. Destination: the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA).

Alexandria Letter: City Deserves Ethics Commission

Letter to the Editor

There are several issues that are not addressed that are really at the center of the ethics controversy. Although the City Council unanimously approved its Transparency Resolution on Jan. 30, there are a number of shortcomings in its creation, inception and implementation.

Alexandria Letter: Washington’s Wider View

Letter to the Editor

Although George Washington traveled widely in what became the United States, he left the mainland only once, when he sailed to Barbados with his older half-brother Lawrence in 1751.

Alexandria Letter: Empathy, Please

Letter to the Editor

Enough. With regard to the recent letters that strongly support the installation of lights at the T. C. Williams football field, I ask you this: would you subject your spouse, your kids, your parents and grandparents to a loud speaker so obnoxiously loud that you have to give your kids earplugs to sleep?

Alexandria Letter: Advance City Ethics Code

Letter to the Editor

Mayor Silberberg and City Council may be commended for starting an effort to write the city’s elected officials an ethics pledge and code to present in about nine weeks.

Alexandria Mentor of the Month: At Wright to Read, Developing a Love of Reading

Ms. Jordan and I have worked together for three and a half years.

Alexandria History: Braddock’s Defeat Solidifies Washington’s Military Credentials

Braddock’s Defeat Solidifies Washington’s Military Credentials

In 1755, in midst of the French and Indian War, Major General Edward Braddock arrived in Virginia as commander in chief of the British forces in North America against the French

Alexandria History: George Washington, The Farmer

George Washington is remembered for being the father of the country, having served as an officer in the French and Indian War, Commander in Chief during the Revolutionary War, and founding President of the United States. However, for 15 years between the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, George Washington was a highly successful and innovative planter.

Alexandria Column: Building Strong Children at Community Lodgings

Commentary–Community Lodgings

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

Alexandria Column: Three-Part Gun Deal Passes State Senate

Commentary

As the fourth week of our legislative session drew to a close, all three pieces of legislation comprising Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s gun deal passed the Senate. The first component of the deal – SB610, introduced by Senator Bryce Reeves (R-Spotsylvania) – restores and expands interstate reciprocity for the concealed carry of firearms, reversing Attorney General Mark Herring’s December decision that severed agreements to honor concealed handgun permits (CHPs) from 25 states with weaker restrictions than the Commonwealth.

Wednesday, February 10

Tease photo

Alexandria: Making of a Megachurch

Alfred Street Baptist Church prepares for 181,151-square-foot expansion.

On Sundays, Alfred Street Baptist Church, one of the city’s oldest black churches, is one of the most popular spots in Alexandria’s Historic District. According to Deacon James Garrett, the church has added more than 3,000 new members over the last eight years. If all goes according to plan, it’s going to get a little more spacious inside Alexandria’s historic Alfred Street Baptist Church, but some residents are concerned it comes at the cost of crowding their neighbors.

Tease photo

Alexandria: War of Passive Aggression

South rises again in Alexandria to fight renaming streets and moving memorial.

Speakers at a city meeting compared the potential plans to de-Confederate Alexandria to everything from the backlash against soldiers returning home to Vietnam to ISIS and the Taliban. At the second meeting of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Confederate Memorials and Street Names, a public comment section sparked tensions and highlighted a deep divide in how Alexandrians still view a war over 150 years ended.

Tease photo

Alexandria People At Work: A New Man in Just 10 Minutes

Eden cuts hair for 50 years.

Fred Murphy walks through the door of the barber shop on his way to the post office and sits in the first chair by the window. Barber Don Eden says, "usual trim?"

Tease photo

Alexandria: Rotary Club Accepting Grant Applications

Deadline is Feb. 26.

The Rotary Club of Alexandria is accepting applications for its annual Grants Program which provides financial support to nonprofit organizations that advance literacy for children and adults or improves the lives of children, youth, seniors and others with special needs in the Alexandria community.

Tease photo

‘Mercy Street’ Shines Light on Alexandria

PBS series draws attention to Alexandria’s landmarks.

The Office of Historic Alexandria has joined Extraordinary Alexandria to celebrate the spotlight on its heritage and present new visitor experiences for fans of the PBS miniseries, “Mercy Street.”

Tease photo

Alexandria: Homegrown Desserts and Dishes

Fitting the style at Killer ESP.

As part of the fixins’ bar inside Killer ESP coffee shop on King Street, there is a jar of washable spoons for stirring the coffee, giving customers an option to plastic or wood stirrers that might fester in a landfill for years to come.

Alexandria: City Health Department Offers Guidance on Zika Virus

Case of Zika virus in Virginia was imported from outside the U.S.

As of Feb. 8, there is one known case of Zika virus in Virginia, according to Alexandria Health Department Director Stephen Haering.

Alexandria Obituary: Ralph Horatio Grimm

Ralph Horatio Grimm, a lifetime member of Aerie 871 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Old Town, died Feb. 3, 2016 at the age of 89.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Stowe Honored as Officer of the Year

American Legion presents inaugural award.

Alexandria Police officer Carl Stowe Jr. was presented with the 2015 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year award Jan. 13 by American Legion Post 24 in Old Town.

Tease photo

Alexandria: A Pub for Presidents

Bulova authors history of Gadsby’s Tavern.

Ever since she graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in anthropology, Gretchen Bulova has been a fixture at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, her name becoming nearly as synonymous with the historic building as George Washington and John Gadsby himself. Now, after 25 years of walking those hallowed halls as its director, Bulova shares the story behind the preservation of the tavern in her book “Gadsby’s Tavern, Images of America.”

Alexandria: ASC to Host Aces’ DeSilva Feb. 16

David DeSilva, head coach of the Alexandria Aces, will join coaches from across the city at the Alexandria Sportsman’s Club’s High School Baseball and Softball night Feb. 16 at the Old Dominion Boat Club.

Tease photo

Alexandria: MetroStage Debuts Musical ‘Shake Loose’

Notes from the Producer

MetroStage is known for its original work on stage. The plays and musicals that we produce for our stage are an eclectic range, unique to our stage, placing us in a special corner of the theatre world.

Tease photo

Campaign Spending in Alexandria Election

The Virginia Public Access Project compiled the finance reports from the last City Council and mayoral races, giving the public a view of how much running for an office in the city can cost.

Classified Advertising February 10, 2016

Read the latest ads here!

Alexandria 2015 Home Sales

In 2015, 1298 Alexandria homes sold between $4,020,000-$91,500.

Alexandria 2015 Home Sales

Tuesday, February 9

Virginia Cigarette Tax Remains Lowest in Nation

Opportunity for increase in cigarette tax blows up in smoke.

Dale Stein and the McLean Citizens Association couldn’t even raise a match before legislators in Richmond extinguished a possible increase in the cigarette tax for Fairfax County.

Editorial: Limiting Local Authority

Assembly rushes bill limiting proffers without addressing who will pay for infrastructure.

In Virginia, a Dillon Rule state, local governments have only the powers explicitly granted by the General Assembly. And what the assembly gives, the assembly can take away.

Tease photo

Stylish Valentine’s Day Table Settings

Flowers and candles create romantic designs.

Fresh flowers and candles are an easy way to add elegance and romance to a Valentine’s Day table. From dramatic to understated, local tastemakers offer suggestions for setting the mood for a memorable dinner.

Tease photo

Bringing Order to Household Chaos

Clever design solutions for hiding clutter.

Wires, cable boxes, soccer cleats, pet bowls and other items are life’s necessities, but they can be unsightly and disrupt the aesthetic of an elegant living space.

Tease photo

Fairfax County School Board Approves $2.67 Billion ‘No Cuts’ Budget

Calls for general salary raises and additional $40 million for teachers, lowering elementary class sizes.

Members of the Fairfax County School Board have taken the next step in realizing Superintendent Dr. Karen Garza’s vision of no additional cuts in the Fiscal Year 2017 school system operating budget. T

Area Students Shine in MATHCOUNTS Competition

The Northern Virginia Regional MATHCOUNTS competition was held on Saturday, Feb. 6, at George Mason University.

Snowzilla Summit Ahead

Board names Fairfax County Animal Shelter for Michael Frey.

“What a difference a week makes,” said County Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), in case anybody had moved on from the 29.3 inches of measured snow at Dulles Airport during the recent blizzard.

Tease photo

Honoring Black History

Fairfax County’s Cable Network presents programs in celebration of Black History Month.

Fairfax Public Access (FPA) will air a special series of movies and documentaries throughout the month of February in recognition of Black History Month.

Proffers in Danger?

Richmond caught the attention of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors this week specifically with House Bill 770 (Gilbert) and Senate B 549 (Obenshain), bills Sharon Bulova says will place “significant restrictions” on development, specifically citing “unreasonable proffers.”

Monday, February 8

Tease photo

Alexandria: Bagel Uprising Launches a Revolution at Farmer’s Market

Chad Breckinridge’s fresh-baked bagels often yield a line dozens of customers deep at Four-Mile Run on Sundays.

There’s an uprising happening, all right. A Bagel Uprising.

Wednesday, February 3

Tease photo

Alexandria: Ethics Reform Roils Council

Progressive transparency or potential witch hunt?

One month into her term as mayor, Allison Silberberg got the process started on enacting a new set of ethics reforms. At its Jan. 28 meeting, the City Council voted to approve an Ad Hoc Study Group to examine ethics reform. It’s the first legislative step forward on an issue Silberberg had put forward as a centerpiece of her election last year. But on the rest of the council, feelings toward the new committee were a little more tepid, some even drawing parallels between Silberberg’s ethics reform and McCarthyism.

Snowzilla Summit Ahead

Board names Fairfax County Animal Shelter for Michael Frey.

“What a difference a week makes,” said County Chairman Sharon Bulova (D), in case anybody had moved on from the 29.3 inches of measured snow at Dulles Airport during last week’s blizzard.

Tease photo

Kostbar: Bike Noise Is Epidemic

People at Work

A week after the big snowstorm, a blue and silver Trek Excalibur sits on a bike rack waiting for its one-year warranty tune up and replacement of the chain links for more speed. Garrett Kostbar, service manager of Spokes etc. on Quaker Lane, will check all the bolts to be sure nothing has loosened up, adjust the head set to prevent slop or play in the bearing assembly, check the brake adjustment, make sure the wheels are true since the braided stainless steel cable can stretch out and break.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Two Republicans Enter Race Against Beyer

Incumbent gains Republican opponents.

It’s been a little over a year since U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) took office, and both the first term congressman and his political opposition have been busy in that time.

Alexandria History: Creating the PBS Civil War Series ‘Mercy Street’

An interview with Filmmaker and Executive Producer Lisa Wolfinger.

The Civil War was the bloodiest conflict in U.S. history with a death toll of 750,000, according to recent studies — more than twice the number of American troops killed in World War II and two percent of the population in the 1860s. If a similar number of Americans died in a war today, the toll would reach about 7.5 million. And two-thirds of Civil War deaths were from illness.

Tease photo

Alexandria: NAACP To Honor Local Church Leader

The Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley to receive national award.

The Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, pastor of Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) in Alexandria was recently named a recipient of the 2016 NAACP Chairman's Image Award, “an award presented to individuals and organizations using their platforms to be agents of change in their communities.”

Tease photo

Alexandria Letter: Clear Those Handicap Spaces

Letter to the Editor

As a long time disabled resident of Alexandria, I have seen that when we have a significant snowfall, the snow in parking lots is often pushed into the handicap parking spaces.

Alexandria Letter: Improve Communication

Letter to the Editor

Congratulations to Mayor Silberberg for proposing to establish an ethical standard to which our elected officials must adhere, and for choosing now — when there are no ethical conflicts or controversies — to design and implement this standard. Who in their right mind would oppose it?

Alexandria Letter: Supporting Hillary

Letter to the Editor

Hillary Clinton is my candidate for President.

Alexandria Letter: Stay Informed in Emergencies

Letter to the Editor

Last week, we went through an event that could overwhelm even the best-prepared municipalities. Some streets remained un-cleared a week later in every corner of the D.C. metro area, including here in Alexandria.

Alexandria Letter: Snow Removal Inadequate

Letter to the Editor

On Tuesday, the ever-shrinking lanes on the city's major roadways and left turn lanes on the city's major roadways had not yet been cleared. Residential streets were still being plowed/cleared on Wednesday morning.

Alexandria Letter: Unintended Consequences

Letter to the Editor

The law of unintended consequences is the controlling principle of human history, reminding us to be careful what we ask for lest getting it thereby sets the stage for something we consider even worse than what we tried to prevent in the first place.

Alexandria Letter: A Little Poem of Praise

Letter to the Editor

As I think of the snow and its pure beauty and its grace that is given; I'm thankful for each day given and all the little blessings that unfold.

Alexandria Letter: Snow Parking Suggestion

Letter to the Editor

I noticed that the center of most streets in Old Town were plowed with same size vehicles you see on highways, leaving 4-5 feet of hard-packed snow from the curb.

Tease photo

Alexandria Obituary: Recalling Diana ‘Dee’ Phillips

Longtime volunteer dies at 76.

Doug Phillips remembers the first time he set eyes on his wife Dee.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Shea Takes Helm of Chamber Board

Robert Shea of Grant Thornton LLP officially took over as chairman of the board of directors of the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce at the annual Chairman’s Community Reception Jan. 20 at Blackwall Hitch Restaurant.

Alexandria: Beyer to Keynote Breakfast

Event kicks off Parade Day celebrations.

U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) will be the keynote speaker at the annual Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association breakfast Feb. 15 to kick off the citywide George Washington Birthday Parade day celebrations.

Alexandria Column: Homeless in Alexandria–How Many and What To Do

Commentary–Carpenter’s Shelter

Imagine something goes wrong with your home during a blizzard like Jonas. Even worse, imagine you don’t have a home at all to protect your family from the blustering snow. This was a reality for the 61 adults and 21 children who sought refuge at Carpenter’s Shelter as 24 inches of snow blanketed Alexandria a couple of weeks ago.

Alexandria Column: We Pulled Together and We Pulled Through

Commentary

Two quick updates. First, we had a little snowstorm recently. Okay, not so little since we got 22 inches of snow in about 36 hours, but who’s counting? It was in fact the worst storm since the Knickerbocker Storm of 1922, and we made it through without a fatality.

Tease photo

Alexandria: SSSAS Grad Turns Love of Music into Career

Founds Cleod9 Music.

According to local music producer Ian McLeod, one of the biggest misconceptions about the music industry is that you have to move to New York City or Los Angeles in order to make anything happen.

Alexandria/Mount Vernon Column: Nondiscrimination Bills Pass State Senate

Council members spar over last minute additions.

As the snow thawed and the General Assembly went about its business last week, a number of developments occurred involving LGBT rights.

Tease photo

Alexandria: Warehouse Sale Set for Feb. 6

Location moved to Westin Hotel.

The Old Town Boutique District will hold its annual Warehouse Sale Feb. 6 at the Westin Alexandria Hotel, a change in location from last year’s sale, which was held at the George Washington Masonic Memorial.

Classified Advertising February 3, 2016

Read the latest ads here!

Tuesday, February 2

Another Opportunity to Talk About It

Super Bowl Sunday is Sunday, Feb. 7, and often more about the parties than the game.

Editorial: Economic Development in Virginia

The General Assembly prides itself in providing a pro-business climate, but refuses infusion of more than $3 billion annually.

Hundreds of bills before this year’s General Assembly session focus on “business climate,” providing incentives for businesses to locate and expand here, extending tax exemptions and tax credits, encouraging international trade, reducing regulation and many other approaches perceived as pro-business.

Marking American Heart Month

Month-long observance raises awareness about cardiovascular disease and the role of aerobic exercise in preventing it.

Music is thumping, sweat is dripping and hearts are pounding. In a packed aerobic dance studio, students move in the name of health.

Volunteer Fairfax Seeks Nominations, New Deadline Feb. 9

Awards recognize the contributions of volunteers in the community.

Nominations are open for the 2016 Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards.

Tease photo

Alexandria/Mount Vernon Weekend Fun: Feb. 5-14

Entertainment

Events near Alexandria and Mount Vernon, Va.